Ancient civilizations
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Transcript of Ancient civilizations
Arlie, Anne, Nitika, Mamta
Ancient Civilizations
Paintings found in Chauvet Cave in Southeastern France.-discovered in 1994-minimal use of yellow the paintings and engravings in Chauvet Cave were created using red ochre and black charcoal -they depict animals such as horses rhinoceros, lions buffalos and mammoths
-created as a part of hunting ceremonies or other ritual behaviors.
small stone female figures that have exaggerated bellies, breasts, and pubic areas… Venus (or woman)of Willendorf 4 1/8 in high.
Old Stone Age
These paintings
have minimal use
of yellow; majority
use of red ochre
and black
charcoal. They
depict animals and
no human figures.
Often used as
hunting
ceremonies. They
were discovered in
1994.
Chauvet Cave Paintings
Facial features
are unedifying,
the arms barely
visible and the
feet are missing.
Small stone
female figures
that have
exaggerated
bellies, breasts,
and pubic areas.
Venus (or woman) of Willendorf.
aka Mesolithic Period- the climate warmed and a culture developed that produced are similar in some ways to the cave paintings of the Paleolithic Period.
- cave dwellers moved out of caves and began using rock as shelters
the difference between cave paintings and rock shelter paintings was that rock shelter paintings portrayed human beings, both alone and in groups and there seems to be an emphasis on scenes in which human beings dominate animals.
Middle Stone Age
Portrayed human
beings
Showed humans
dominating
animals
Rock Shelter Paintings
stone megaliths; “great stones”Culture that created these works is termed
“megalithic”-Ex: The Stonehenge; Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire England
-features concentric rings made with sarsen (from of sandstone) stones and smaller “blue stones”- rock native to the region..
-outermost ring is comprised of huge sarsen stones on post and lintel construction – two upright pieces topped with a cross piece or lintel.
New Stone Age
Sarsen Stones
“Blue Stones”
Stonehenge
Two upright
pieces with a
cross piece or
lintel.
The next ring is composed of 5 lintel- topped sarsen stone (weighing up to 50 tons each)
To the northeast is the vertically placed “heel-stone’.
If you stand in the center of the ring and look outward this “heel-stone” marks the point at which the sun rises on the mid summer solstice.
Cont. The New Stone Age: Understanding the Stonehenge
To the northeast
is the vertically
placed “heel-
stone.
If you stand in
the center and
look outward,
this “heel-stone
marks the point
at which the sun
rises on the mid
summer solstice.
Stonehenge
Existing artifacts
have come from
burial chambers,
caves and tombs
where they have
been protected
by being
naturally
concealed.
Cont. New Stone Age
Mesopotamian Civilization / ArtCont. from section one
Arose between
the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers
Developed
writing and art in
a similar style
with Egypt
Lacked natural
barriers which
left them
vulnerable to
invasion
Ancient Mesopotamian Civilization
They created
impressive
sculptures and
buildings.
Religion was a
central aspect of
Sumerians life
and they built
temples (stepped
pyramids calle
ziggurats at the
centers of their
cities.
Sumerians
In 2334 B.C.E. the cities of Sumer came under rule of Akkad ( although they spoke a different language from Sumerians the assimilated Sumerian culture. Akkadian rulers depicted in freestanding and relief sculptures. In 2150 B.C.E. Akkadian rule came to end as Guti ( barbarous mountaineers) invaded and took control.
50 years later the cities of Sumer reasserted control and a Neo-Sumerian ruler was established in the King of Ur.
Akkads
Akkadian rulers
depicted in
freestanding and
relief sculptures.
Akkads
Built at city
centers
Functioned
primarly as
temples but also
served as
administrative
and economic
centers.
Ziggurats
Hammurabi- king of the city state of Babylonian law-Code of Hammurabi; oldest legal code known in its entirety
Best known art work in Louver Museum is related to this code of law: stone stele onto Hammurabi’s code is carved with a sculpture in high relief at the top that depicts the sun god: Shamasha.
Babylonians Civilization
carved with a
sculpture in high
relief at the top
that depicts the
sun god:
Shamasha.
Code of Hammurabi
900 B.C.E. - 600 B.C.E. most powerful civilizations in the near East
Dominated the northartworks are relief carvings: often depicted
battles, sieges, hunts, and other important events
7th century B.C.E. their hold on power weakened, and from 612- 538 B.C.E. Babylonia becomes dominant.
Assyrians
artworks are
relief carvings:
often depicted
battles, sieges,
hunts, and other
important events
Assyrian Artworks
Famous hanging gardens of Babylon we constructed
Gate way to the great ziggurats of the temple of Bel, called the Ishtar Gate, which is considered one of the greatest works of architecture in which figures-in this case animals figures- are super imposed on a walled surface.
Neo-Babylonia Period
Ishtar Gate
Persian ArtPersian Empire (538-330
B.C.E) flourished in what is now present day Iran. The Persians were notable for their impressive architectural achievements, the most important of which was the palace at Persepolis, which was constructed of stone brick and wood and reflects the influence of Egyptian architecture.
Generally dated from 3500B.C.E., beginning with the predynastic period through 332B.C.E when Egypt was conquered by Alexander the Great
Great monuments of Ancient Egypt include: the Sphinx, the great pyramids at Giza, the larger-than-life-sized statues of the pharaohs, and the portrait head of queen Nefertiti
Much of this art emphasizes Hierarchical Scale (which uses the status of figures or objects to determinate their relative sizes within and artwork) as exemplified in the Palette of King Narmer (3150-3125 B.C.E.), a relic from the Old Kingdom (Dynasties III-VI)
Burial customs: dcreeded mummification and entombment with lavish furnishings, symbolic servants, and jewelry, resulted in rich stones of objects and images. Most famous Egyptian tomb: boy king, Tutankamen
Ancient Egyptian Art
Sphinx
Great Pyramids at Giza
Larger-than-life-sized statues of the pharaohs
Portrait head of Queen Nefertiti
This slab of stone
, which may have
been used as a
ceremonial
palette for
mixing
cosmetics,
presents King
Narmer centrally
and is depicted
larger than the
other figures.
Narmer is seen
holding the hair
of a fallen
enemy, with his
arm raised in
preparation to
give a death
blow. The figures
are represented
in “fraction
representation”
Palette of King Narmer
This mask found
in the inner most
layer of the
king’s
Sarcophagus,
rested on the
mummy’s face
and shoulders. It
is made of gold
and is decorated
with blue glass
and semi-
precious stones.
The mask
presents an
idealized portrait
of the young
king.
Tutankhamen
Kingdom of
Nubia lay to the
south of Egypt
and covered a
large area of
Africa.
There was a
period in history
of Egypt when
Nubia ruled the
area and the
Pharaohs of that
ear were Nubian.
Nubian Art
3200-2000 B.C.E.Cyclades, a group of islands in the Aegean Simplified, geometric nude figures from this
area are highly appealing to modern sensibilities
Cycladic culture produced decorated pieces of pottery as well as marble bowls and jars.
Cycladic Art
3200-2000 B.C.E.
NUBIAN ART
Centered around the city of Knossos on CreteThe legend of the Minotaur-the creature believed
to be half man and half bull who devoured those who entered his maze -the maze was actually the royal palace, a sprawling complex that has since been excavated and includes statues of a female snake goddess.
Minoans art created artworks that were characterizes by a naturalistic pictorial style . Their paintings took 2 major forms; frescoes painted on palace walls and pottery designs.
Minoan Culture
Built four major palaces, all completely unfortified and designed in a light flexible and organic style.
Collapse of the Minoan civilization coincided with the pinnacle of Mycenaean, culture was centered around the city of Mycenae on the Greek mainland.
Built elaborate tombs, and their tombs and their burial practices allowed for a large number of objects to be preserved
Objects best known are made of gold and show astonishing levels of mastery in goldsmithing
Skillful in relief sculpture also
Mycenaean Art
Mycenaean Tomb
Other Civilizations
Early Roman art reflected the influence of Etruscan art
2nd century B.C.E many roman artworks were variations of Greek works
Made pioneering advancements in engineering and architecture
Discovery of concrete = major contributions to architecture (constructed huge domed building; and the use of the curved arch to build bridges and aqueducts)
Created relief sculpture primarily for funerary purposes
Roman Art
Seen as a transitions from the ideals of Greece to the realistic concerns of the Romans
Civilization arose in what is now ItalyLargely know for tomb decorationNothing remains of the buildings because they were
made of brick and woodCeramic models depict temples with tilled gabled roofs
supported by columns in the fashion of GreeksArtifacts include: sarcophagus lids and other art forms of
baked clay, and bronzeArtworks done on bright, flat colors and they show
figures playing music and dancing as part of funeral celebrations.
Etruscan Art
Best know art: mosaic work in which small ceramic tiles, pieces of stone, or glass were set into a ground material to create large murals
Largely Christian in contentCan best be studied in the glimmering,
shining mosaic walls of the great churches of Ravenna (in present day Italy)
Built Hagia Sophia (532-537 C.E)
Byzantine and Medieval Art